unfame

English

Alternative forms

• un-fame

Etymology

From un- (“lack of; negative”) +‎ fame.

Noun

unfame (uncountable)

1. Lack or absence of fame; negative fame; infamy
   • 1872, James Burgess, The Indian Antiquary - Volume 1:

     Know a king to be the adorner of the earth, the earth the adorner of a king, — the Devs the adorners of the heavens, the heavens the adorners of the Devs, — fame is the destroyer of unfame, unfame the destroyer of fame, — [...]

   • 1990, Simon Callow, Dušan Makavejev, Shooting the Actor, Or, The Choreography of Confusion:

     I said, 'Yes he is.' And he said, 'I suppose I should know who you are, but I'm afraid I don't. Ha, ha, ha. ' And from then on, throughout the journey he made jokes to his chum next to him about my degree of unfame, and when they got up he took a full proper look at me and said, 'No, I still don't know who he is', quite openly to his friend, who found it very funny.

   • 2003, Gregory Corso, Bill Morgan, An Accidental Autobiography: The Selected Letters of Gregory Corso:

     Though I see your point, and fate will not deny Jackie's reward, which is immense, and he must bear the brunt of outward earthy unfame, it be so, bad boy, etc.

   • 2014, Ian Hamilton Finlay, Stephen Bann, Midway: Letters from Ian Hamilton Finlay to Stephen Bann 1964-69:

     What particularly riled me was his assertion that certain poets chose un-fame so that they could write sloppily ..

   • 2015, Greg Trine, The Revenge of the McNasty Brothers:

     Claim to unfame: Got honorable mention in Worst-Smelling Bad Guy of the Year contest